Kneeling bench



J. E. SHEA, JR

KNEELING BENCH Filed Nov. 2, 1939 jay.

Inventor: Jhn E'hca, Jr.

May zo, 1941.l

Patented May 20, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates toy kneeling benches and particularly to devices of this character which are used at funeral wakes observed by members of the Roman Catholic church.

This particular invention is for a knock-down kneeling bench including a kneeling member detachably connected to that portion of the kneeling bench which forms a support for the arms of any person properly positioned on the kneeling member.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will be rigid and at the same time ornamental and when knocked down will occupy but very little space while being transported to and from the place where it is to be used.

Another object is in making the arm rest in part of two end members each having a plurality of vertical spaced tubes, the upper ends of the tubes in each end member being bent inwardly towards the upper ends of the tubes in the other member and alined therewith.

A further object is in providing a demountable section between the alined upper portions of said tubes, said section being formed of spaced tubular members which by slip joints are connected at their opposite ends to the upper ends of the tubes of said end members, a locking device being provided at each end of the demountable section to prevent separation thereof from said end members.

The invention further consists in providing the central section of the arm rest with a detachable holy water font having associated therewith a Sacred Heart illuminated by an electric lamp..

The invention further consists in providing a kneeling member made in two parts and provided at opposite ends with transversely disposed tubular members to receive forwardly extending rods secured to the end members of the arm rest, said rods being locked to said tubular members thereby retaining the kneeling member and arm rest in proper relation to each other.

The invention further consists in providing said kneeling member intermediate the ends thereof with hinged supports.

The invention further consists in providing means for securing the tubes of said end members and the tubular members of the intermediate section spaced apart in parallelism and riveted together with annular spacers between the various tubes and tubular members.

The above objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred form thereof is illustrated in the drawing, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the Various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

Of the drawing Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a kneeling bench embodying the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 represents a vertical section of the same on line 2, 2, on Fig. 1.

Figure 3 represents a section on line 3, 3 on Fig. 2.

Figure 4 represents a section on line Fig. 2.

Figure 5 represents a section on line 5, 5 on Fig. 1, and

Figure 6 represents a section on line B, Ii on Fig. 1.

Similar characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

In the drawing, I0, I0 are a plurality of vertical tubes having their upper ends curved horizontally as at Il.

These tubes IG, I!) are spaced apart and secured together near the top thereof by a long rod I2 riveted to the outer tubes and having annular spacers I3 between said tubes, thus forming two rigid end members I4.

The lower ends of the outer -tubes I0 have rubber thimbles I5 mounted thereon to prevent injury to the oor or the covering thereof on which the kneeling bench is to .be disposed.

Near the lower ends of the tubes Ill of each end member I4 is brazed or otherwise secured a transverse tubular member I6.

The horizontal ends II of the tubes I0 of the two end members I4 are in alinement and have interposed between them a removable section I'I made up of a plurality of tubular members I8 which are secured together by twolong rods I9 riveted thereto with spacers 20 between the various tubular members I8.

Each opposite end of the central tubular member I8 of the section Il has Xedly secured therein a cylindrical member 2| which has a long outward extension 2li: projecting horizontally therefrom and adapted to be slipped into the interior of the central tube I!) of one of the end members I4, thereby forming a slip joint.

This extension 2li: has a depression 22 therein which is adapted to receive a projection 22x secured to a spring plate 23 secured to the under yside of each end oi.'- the `central tubular member The central section I'I when secured to the endl members `III is inclined upwardly toward the rear thereof so as to afford a good arm rest for any person occupying the kneeling member 24.

This kneeling member 24 is made in two parts, each part being composed of three tubular members 25 spaced .apart and having their outer endsV curved downwardly as at 25 with rubbert-him-v bles l5 on the lower ends of a `certainl portion thereof.

The three tubular members 25 of each part of the kneeling member 2e are secured together near their outer downwardly extending ends. by.. means of two transverse tubular members 21 brazed thereto, each member Z'Ibeing adapted! to receive a cylindrical projection 28 extending forwardly from the tubular member 26'secured tof-an end member Mof the arm resti.

Theprojection 28 has adepression*29finitsfor wardVv end adapted lto receivea projection .30;on; a-spring. plateiiv whichis secured tothe'uppers side of one of the tubular members 21; thereby; locking the kneeling member 24 to the end :members 14.

Intermediate the'ends of the kneelingmember. 24 and secured to the inner ends of the-tubular; members 25 are two metalV plates' 321 having hinged thereto supports-33.

When these supports 33are moveddownwardly into the position indicated in the drawing;` the'v kneeling memberis very rigid and will support considerable weight.

When the kneeling 'member is not in :usefthe supports 33 will `be positioned against.. the plates ."52.`

Superimposed upon the tubular members 25gr is-a board ih'aving a cushion 351on'the top thereof.

This board 3 has extending'downwardly from its vunder side spring 4clips which extend'down wardiy between the tubular members 25 andre tain the'b'oard Stand cushion 35 in proper positiononf the. kneeling member 24."

Tlfie-4 abutting endsof one pair oftubular members 25 vare provided with' a slipijoint similar to that shown in Figs. 5 'and'6, thereby flock-Y ing together the two parts ofthe kneeling memben-2li? Detachably mounted-upon the central portion of the removablel section' iis aefont 3M: for holy' water andl in' therear ofi-'this font andconnected thereto is a` cross 3l.'

The font 36a: has a downward extension. 38'in which's mounted a Sacred vHeart 39;' this Sacred Heart being 'of crimson glass andfilluminated byl an'el'ectric lamp' .'ifrom which a'wire li'ex' tends'fto` any suitablev source ofv electric supply.

Thefwhole devicenmayibe knockedy down readily'andf occupies but very little space .when-being.V transported to the place where 'it -isto beused.

Any' ornamental design suchasia cross :4i may befsecured tothe outer endsoi the-f end memebers-'IL Whenslin use my. device.- makes avery rigidi construction and rowing to itsr being formed vof tubular metal Vmembers fwhichzare.polishedand. separated fromz each other, it has axmost erna.;` mental 'appearance 'when in use.

It :isi believed' that the operation kand-i many; advantages fof the :invention will be understood: without ,further description.

Having thus described my invention Iclaim:

1. A-'knock-down kneeling bench having an arm: rest comprisingY end members-composed ofa plurality of;spaced vertical tubeszsec-uredfto.-

CJD

Cil

gether in parallelism by transversely extending rods and having the upper ends of the tubes of each end member extending towards and alined with the upper ends of the tubes in the other end member; a removable section composedof par- -allel tubes. interposed betweenthe upper ends of the tubes of said end members and secured thereto by slip joints; and a kneeling member detachably connected to said end members.

2.' A-knock-down kneeling bench as set forth in claim l, in which each end member has a transversely disposed tubular member secured thereto .and'has a forwardly extending rod adapted..tov be disposed in a tubular member on said kneelingV member and locked thereto.

3: A`knock-.down kneeling bench as set forth in:claim..1,.in.which said. kneeling member com'- prises a .plurality ofparallel 'connected tubular members and has a cushion resting thereon and detachably secured thereto.

4; Av knock-downkneeling bench yhaving an armrest comprising. end members each composed of-'aplurality .of spaced vertical tubes secured togetherin parallelism by transversely extending rods and having the upper ends of the tubesof each end member extending horizontally towards andfralin'ed with the upper ends of the rtubes in the other end member; means constructed and arranged to `connect together the ends of the. horizontally disposed portions of said tubes; and

a kneeling member detachably connected to said end imem'bers;

5; A1 knock-downv kneeling bench having an arm rest4 comprising end members each composed offa plurality of spaced vertical tubes secured together in parallelism by transversely extending rods and having theupper ends of the tubes ofl each end member curved inwardly and extending horizontally towards and .alined with the upper ends'of the tubes in the other end member; means'constructed and arranged to connect together the ends of the horizontally disposed portions of said tubes; and a kneeling member detachably connected to said end members.

65 A knock-down kneeling` ben-ch having ranI arm rest comprising end members each composed of a plurality 'of spacedv vertical tubes secured togetherlin parallelismy byv transversely extending rods, said' tubes of one end member having formedfintegral therewith horizontally disposed portionsfextending toward and alined with similarhorizontallydisposed portions of the tubes ofthe other endY member; means constructed and arranged to connect together the ends of the yhorizontallydisposed portions ofv said tubes; andl a kneeling"memberrdetachably connected to said end members.

7. A knockdownckneelingsbench as set forth in claim: 1, iii-"which rsaid kneeling. member is .in

two parts, each partcomposed ofa plurality'of: spaced connected parallel tubes; each part being.

detachably secured4 together, and a. hingedsupportV securedtov the under side of each of said` parts'.1

8;-A'V knockedown kneelingbench having an arm-rest comprising-enol-'supports and a removable section composed :of aplurality of spaced'` connected parallel vtubes interposed between the upper ends-of said end supports 'and secured thereto,V and` a kneeling member detachably -connected-'to said end lsupportsfand composedoi a plurality--of-spaced connected parallel tubes.

JOHN. E. SHEA, JR. 

